~ Diana Faria |

How to reduce anxiety before your first date

Going on a first date with someone you recently met can sometimes be nerve-wracking and you might find yourself feeling very anxious before, during and even after the date. We asked Toronto-based psychotherapist Kimberly Moffit and relationships expert Stacie Ikka for tips to help reduce those first date jitters.

What is it?

First date anxiety can appear in many different ways. Sometimes, Moffit explains, there’s a sense of dread, nervousness, fear,decreased level of confidence and negative thoughts about the outcome of the date.

There can also be physical indicators of anxiety such as sweaty palms and an increased heart rate. Other symptoms, Ikka says, include an exacerbated nervous tick, over talking (during the date) or the opposite – shutting down.